


Beg for him

by Stardust_Steel



Series: The Sun and Moon [2]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Vegeta cares, Vegeta's past comes to haunt him, about Goku, but Goku takes the fall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-12 15:14:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29262576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stardust_Steel/pseuds/Stardust_Steel
Summary: To save Goku's life, Vegeta sacrifices his pride and falls before his previous victim. Snippet for a longer one shot.
Relationships: Son Goku/Vegeta (Dragon Ball)
Series: The Sun and Moon [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2148906
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	Beg for him

**Author's Note:**

> I'm "stardust-steel" on Tumblr or "stardust_steel" on Instagram, I'd love to chat any db/kakavege/life things with you :) I also post my art there. Come find me!
> 
> Some of you may be familiar with this fic snippet from my multichaptered collection "This Space Between Us" (TSBU.) The reason I am updating this as a separate fic along with the others soon to follow is due to reader comments about tag sensitivity among different chapters. I won't elaborate but please let me know if this needs more tags :) I am learning, please be kind! 
> 
> TSBU will be taken down a month from now and continued as a series, so if anyone is really attached to it please download it :) Thank you for staying with me!

**B- Beg for him**

_Kakarot. Kakarot._

Vegeta couldn’t think with the blood pounding in his ears. Every sense was attuned to the younger saiyan bleeding out in his arms. Dimly he was aware of Piccolo’s quick, silent feet approaching, and urgent voices in the background, but he paid them no mind. Even when hands tugged at him, he refused to let them take Kakarot. 

_No._ He wouldn’t trust Kakarot’s safety with anyone else, right then.

Vegeta looked up in desperation at the altar. The old, insect like lady who stood there smirked at their little group, eyes glinting. 

Instantly, the prince was on guard. He recognized that look, having worn it himself through most of his years. That was the cruel smile of someone who lived through so much pain that they absolutely had to pass it on to other people, just to stay marginally sane.

“You don’t remember me, do you, _Prince_ Vegeta.” Vegeta’s hackles rose at the sneer of her tone on his title. “You murdered my entire family and people, in the time it takes to raise a finger.”

The most despicable thing was, Vegeta absolutely did not remember.

Then, a sliver of memory. Planet Arlia. Humanoid creatures with pincers and carapace tough enough to break his teeth. Himself and Nappa ruminating how bland and untasty their blood was, and that even dead, these creatures were useless. 

A much younger looking version of the woman in front of him, staring up in fear.

Vegeta’s decrepit little heart squeezed. Of all the times his past had to come kick him in the ass, this had to be one of them.

“Arlia,” he breathed out. Gohan and Piccolo were both looking at him for answers, but Vegeta had nothing to give.

The old Arlian woman cackled. “So you do remember me,” she sing-songs. “Should I be honored? A murderer like you, remembering a little old lady like me? My name is Kurenai, wretched one.”

Anger. Remorse.Self hatred. Vegeta shook his head, trying to focus. _I don’t have the time for this._ “My companion is badly injured,” Vegeta stated. “We need your help to heal him.” He willed his voice to sound strong rather than shaky. Trying not to reveal the utter panic he was feeling. They had no time for an anxious breakdown. **_Kakarot_ **had no time. 

Kurenai sent an assessing glance towards them, her eyes calculating and glinting with the edge of something wicked. As he met her gaze dead on, Vegeta realised he had subconsciously drawn Kakarot's weak body closer to his own in a protective gesture. All it really succeeded in doing was shifting the power dynamic of the room- the old lady knew she had the dominating hand here. 

In quiet dread, the prince knew what she was going to say before it was said. 

“I refuse.” Kurenai’s tone was smug, her eyes malicious. “I will not help.”

“What?!” Even as he glared, Vegeta’s mind was already racing through other alternatives, coming rapidly to the conclusion that his getting through this blasted woman in the next five minutes was their only ticket to save Kakarot. In his agitation, he accidentally jostled the body in his arms slightly. Kakarot let out a small whimper, his head lolling to rest gently against the curve of Vegeta’s neck.

Vegeta would never have described himself as particularly protective or caring. But right at that moment in time, with Kakarot in such a vulnerable state, he rather thought he understood what it was like to care deeply about someone and not be able to do a thing about it.

Vegeta lifted his eyes - now was not the time to indulge and entertain his confused emotions. He schooled his face into something less penetrable, but Kurenai had clearly caught on to his distress, and for whatever reason her look shifted to one of utter glee.

In the periphery, Piccolo stepped forward. The Arlian woman didn’t pay him a whit of attention, continuing to stare down Vegeta. “Why are you refusing to heal an innocent?” Piccolo demanded brusquely, his tone uncharacteristically argumentative. “As a healer, you’re supposed to be impartial.” 

Even in his fury, dread began to slither. Vegeta wasn’t stupid: he recognised petty vengeance when he saw it. He could already tell what this was about.

The old lady tittered. “He may be innocent,” she jerked her head towards Goku, “but **_the one holding him_** is not.”

There it was.

Vegeta would be utterly livid (he would pretend it was at her, but really, at his damn stupid blasted wicked self) if he wasn’t so anxious. Kakarot’s body was trembling in his grasp, the younger saiyan’s breath raggedy and weak and oh Kami why did it feel like Vegeta was the one dying? 

“Kurenai. **_He_ **isn’t me!” On a visceral level Vegeta was aware that raising his voice wouldn’t get them anywhere, but it was so hard to control his temper when Kakarot’s life was literally fading in his hands. “He is **_innocent,_** **he’s done you no wrong.”**

Kurenai scoffed. “True,but Prince Vegeta, a filthy murderer like you is the one asking. So I refuse.” 

Piccolo had clearly put together the situation. To his credit the Namekian wasn’t even fazed, only questioning in his characteristically steady manner: “So you would needlessly condemn an innocent to his death, to take revenge upon the guilty?”

The Arlian woman was suddenly up in his face. “Don’t you take dare pass judgment on me,” she hissed at the Namekian, who did not give ground. “You have no understanding of what this despicable trash put me through. He made me watch my people burn, made me stand in absolute helplessness as my loved ones died in front of me. He destroyed my entire planet, and he did it with a laugh and no regrets. HE only remembers me because he needs something!”

“I understand your pain, Kurenai.” Gohan’s voice was polite, Vegeta almost had the hysterical urge to laugh at how well Chichi had apparently brought up the man.“But my father has nothing to do with what Vegeta has done.”

Kurenai gave him her insane smirk. Vegeta hated how much he could see of himself in that expression.“Lies. I can see how much he cares for the dying one. For that, he shall suffer watching them perish.”

Anger began to give way to desperation.

“Kakarot’s innocent,” Vegeta insisted. His voice cracked humiliatingly, but now was not the time to entertain his wounded pride. Not with Kakarot dying right in his arms. “And...his death would be a great loss to the universe.”

 _Please,_ the prince almost said, but his pride stopped him, _please don’t let him suffer for my mistakes._

The old lady across him laughed bitterly. “The universe! How rich!” Her mirth morphed into a broken sneer. “You think I care about the universe? **_My_ **universe was my family and my people- and you destroyed it all, aeons ago!” Her eyes glinted with manic sorrow. “Funny, is it not, how the tables have turned? Your turn, Prince Vegeta. _Feel_ the pain you inflicted on me. **_Feel what you made me feel, all those years ago_ **_._ And when he dies, tell me how **_you_** like it.” She let out a mad laugh. _“_ ** _I want to see you suffer and your heart break, the way you made me suffer.”_**

No. 

No, this couldn’t happen. Vegeta wouldn’t allow it. He had done a lot of horrible things in his life. He had even actively tried to kill Kakarot himself. But he couldn’t let himself be the cause of Kakarot’s death. 

_Not like this._

Vegeta shut his eyes. Kakarot’s breath fluttered weakly against his neck.

“Kurenai, please,” the prince heard himself say, as if from faraway. “Please heal Kakarot. My sins are not his to bear. Please don’t let him suffer for it.”

Opening his eyes, Vegeta allowed himself a vindictive moment to revel at the shock in the Arlian woman’s gaze. 

To her credit, Kurenai recovered quickly, her malice returning with the swiftness and volatility of a winter storm cloud. “I like hearing you beg, Prince Vegeta. It suits filth like you.” The arlian smiled crazily at him. “Louder. Let the whole universe hear how the proud murderer begs for his victim’s forgiveness.”

Vegeta only spared it a second of thought.

Could he, the haughty prince of all saiyans, really sacrifice his pride and lower himself to beg just to save this naive, dumbass clown that was his rival?

In the end, it was an easy choice. Vegeta was never one to do anything by half measures. And in this moment he could admit Kakarot was worth more than halves, worth more than anything of the tattered remains of Vegeta’s pride. To collective shock, the prince dropped to his knees, careful not to jostle Kakarot. 

“Please, Kurenai.” His voice came out uncharacteristically small and desperate. “Please heal Kakarot. Take your revenge on me in any way you like afterwards. Torture me. Kill me if it satisfies your need for vengeance. I will accept it - I will not fight it.” 

Kakarot made a small sound of protest, despite his eyes being half-lidded in pain, but Vegeta didn’t tear his gaze from Kurenai. Opinions from dying idiots were automatically discounted. “Please — he is everything that is good. Everything that is the opposite of me. Please don’t… let him pay for my mistakes.” Vegeta’s voice shook. “Please.”

Kurenai was still smiling her insane, wretched smile, but there was a hint of a frown on her wasted features. 

**Author's Note:**

> To be continued in a future fic, hopefully, or else this snippet might live on in someone's heart. :)


End file.
